(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Westminster Community Orchestra, conducted by Ruth Ochs and Sergey Tkachenko, will present a concert titled “Halloween -Trick or Treat!” on Sunday, October 20 at 3:00pm in the Robert L. Annis Playhouse on the campus of Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, N.J. This fun, family-oriented program will feature sometimes sweet, sometimes slightly scary, music for the Halloween season.
The afternoon will also feature new works by Westminster composers and collaborations with The Guitars of Westminster, Mark Johnstone, director, and Westminster Conservatory’s Suzuki Violin Program, the studio of Urška Haule Feguš. Children are welcome to attend in costume.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets are available online at www.rider.edu/arts or by phone at 609-921-2663.
Now in her 15th season as conductor and music director of the Westminster Community Orchestra, Ruth Ochs has led the orchestra in performances of major orchestral and choral-orchestral works, including symphonies by Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Mozart, Saint-Saëns, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky. Under her leadership, the orchestra continues to feature choral ensembles and soloists from the Westminster Conservatory and to collaborate with Westminster Choir College students. She is also the founding conductor of the Princeton Charter School/Westminster Conservatory Youth Orchestra, and she is in her 14th season as the conductor of the Princeton University Sinfonia.
Ms. Ochs holds degrees in Music and Orchestral Conducting from Harvard University and the University of Texas at Austin, and she is completing her Ph.D. in Musicology at Princeton University. She is currently a lecturer in the Princeton University Department of Music.
Sergey Tkachenko is the assistant conductor of the Westminster Community Orchestra for the 2019-20 concert season. When he is not conducting, Mr. Tkachenko plays in the percussion section of the orchestra. Mr. Tkachenko is a graduate of Westminster Choir College, where he studied music education with a concentration in piano. He made his piano orchestral debut with the Westminster Community Orchestra in 2014. He is currently the choral director at Moorestown High School.
Now in its 32nd season, the Westminster Community Orchestra is known for performances that showcase the artistry, commitment and passion of a true community ensemble. The group presents popular programs noted for their diverse repertoire and widespread appeal. Members are professional and gifted amateur musicians from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They come from all walks of life but share a common goal: the desire to make wonderful music for themselves and their community.
Westminster Choir College of Rider University is located at 101 Walnut Lane in Princeton. To learn more about this concert and other Westminster performances, please go to www.rider.edu/arts.
